Nekton

The only thing this turtle shaped island has retained over the recent years are it's clear skies and blue water! It's easier to get to than ever before, it's friendlier, its better equipped and more comfortable, but it still is paradise - only in a slightly more developed form.

Tao of Understanding
You don't really take in all the changes on the island until you've got back off it! I still have memories from an earlier visit back in 1998 of being jaded by stubborn dive resort owners as they adamantly upheld their unfriendly policy that no diving equated to no rooms, not even for a single night. Their ideals were simple, dive with us and you get the honourable bonus of being allowed to rent one of our rooms, but finish your diving and out you get!

These operators still remain today, but thankfully their policies are long gone, as is their involvement in any public relations!

Arrival on the island is generally a hive of activity as the representatives from the dive resorts and operators wade through the battlefield of touts, with their recognition cards held high. They will find and rescue you from the masses and whisk you off to your intended destination unscathed and with a feeling of satisfaction that the system here really does work!

Tao of Shelter
Nowadays, obtaining accommodation is quite the opposite to that of yesteryear, as virtually all the operators offer it in varying incentive scales to both qualified and potential divers. So much so that the first question of any serious inquiry seems to be along the lines of "are your rooms free?" Not a mention as to the instructor's abilities, or the local diving possibilities!

Anyway, the rules of accommodation are simple and surprisingly enough, unlike certain other diving orientated locations, without intimidation; diving courses, dives or even dive packages include free or at the very least, ridiculously cheap accommodation. With such offers, rooms can quickly become an endangered species, but once again this is now dealt with in a positive manner, alternative locations are meticulously hunted down for you and if found afar, a complimentary transfer service to and from the diving facilities is thrown in. And its not just the resorts that offer these tremendous deals so don't be put off by the fact that the operator is not flying under the resort flag, many have their own rooms and bungalows too!

Tao of Learning
The island has always been high on the list of destinations that attracts backpackers intent on spending as little money as possible in becoming divers. Although a few spendthrifts actually continue to pay their way up the ladder of education to reach that pinnacle of understanding, the diving instructor, only to earn it all back again!

Bearing this in mind improvements were needed to meet such growing demands and improve they have. It is now possible to arrive on the island, take that first giant stride and then depart some time later as a qualified instructor! Although this was the case before, it can now be done in much more comfort and style. Tuition in recreational and technical diving begins on a daily basis; Instructor courses are scheduled every two months.

Tao of Agreeable Pursuits
With all of the advancements in the diving community the islands amenities have not been left behind. Email for instance has popped up literally everywhere; at the dive operation; in the supermarkets, and even at the ticket booking office. But the one outlet that stands out is found at the northern end of Sairee beach. Spice.net has retained a certain Traditional Thai ambience that the rest of the island's internet

Getting around the island is now a really simple affair, get on the back of a pickup truck and hang on, then pay for the experience; its not cheap, so if four wheels are too costly then take a motorbike taxi, but don't expect a helmet! Lastly, you can always rent a motorbike yourself, but watch the loose sand, not all the roads are solid.

Tao of Diving
The improvements in the Koh Tao scene are, thankfully not restricted to the terra firma, they are complimented by a more comfortable way of diving. Thought has now gone into the planning of who dives where and why, experience being the main determining factor.

For the more experienced of divers and those wishing to take a technical plunge on Nitrox, there is a choice of three deep sites, namely Samran Pinnacles and Sail Rock to the south and Chumphon Pinnacles to the north west. All three have exhilarating walls and underwater scenery and are all pelagic magnets. They do pretty well for their whale shark encounters too!

Next - for those end of training dives and, of course, rebreather divers - are the shallower South West Pinnacles with its anemones, corals and large schooling action; and Green Rock, with its swim-throughs and magnificant hard and soft corals.

Then of course there's the beginner sites of Ao Luk, Nang Yuan and Mango Bay, all with their sandy bottoms punctuated by a wealth of coral heads. As these sites are shallow they make for a great repetitive dive and they are by no means without their own particular highlights.

More sites abound, providing plenty of exciting dinnertime conversation for the recreational divers, whose courses are now a thing of the past. Over the following days they will swap many a story about the wealth of marine-life around Shark Island, the splendid corals in the Japanese Gardens, White Rock with its series of underwater pinnacles and of course the surface interval snorkelling and sun-bathing!

Tao of Thought
Leaving the island is no big deal, or so you think. Looking back you realise that everyone was nice, polite and friendly. The diving was good and warm and there were plenty of fish. The dive boats were spacious, and the staff keen and helpful. Lessons were conducted in nicely kitted out classrooms and the food was good and the beer cold. But above all, the prices were very encouraging and the service was fine. And with the addition of service centers and retail outlets a healthy state of rental equipment was maintained.

A good selection of spares and necessities could also be bought at the same prices as on the mainland. Now that's the way vacations are supposed to be remembered.